Tower Speaker Reviews

L/R Sensitivity: 89 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz
Center Sensitivity: 88 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz
Surround Sensitivity: 85 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the Music L/R (purple trace), Poetry center channel (green trace), Kiss surround (red trace), and REL Britannia B1 subwoofer (blue trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input, switches in the down position, and scaled for display purposes. Grilles were not provided.

The Music’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +3.49/–6.02 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 48 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 40 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.57 ohms at 81 Hz and a phase angle of –34.76 degrees at 4.2 kHz.

The Poetry’s listening-window response measures +3.42/–4.55 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +3.72/–4.54 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 46 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 41 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 5.94 ohms at 86 Hz and a phase angle of –46.73 degrees at 2.9 kHz.

The Kiss’s listening-window response measures +4.52/–7.60 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 47 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 41 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.04 ohms at 96 Hz and a phase angle of –54.79 degrees at 76 Hz.

The REL Britannia B1’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 43 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 36 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 114 Hz using the LO input with the Mode switch set to 2, and the Rolloff switch set to A1.—MJP